A novel protein encoded by small RNAs of parvovirus B19

A second small ORF contained within the parvovirus B19 genome has been shown to direct synthesis of a small 7.5-kDa protein. These results extend our previous studies in which we identified a family of 11-kDa proteins (J. St. Amand, C. Beard, K. Humphries, and C.R. Astell, Virology 183, 133-142, 1991; J. St. Amand and C.R. Astell, Virology, 192, 121-131, 1993). The presumed ORF encoding the 7.5-kDa protein was discovered on the left side of the viral genome and was identified by expression of the protein and in vitro mutagenesis. Two small RNA transcripts of B19 virus were demonstrated to be able to direct the synthesis of this 7.5-kDa protein by in vitro translation using rabbit reticulocyte lysates. Expression of 7.5-kDa protein was also observed in COS-7 cells transfected with a plasmid containing the B19 genome as well as in human peripheral mononucleocytes infected with B19 virus. In both cases the 7.5-kDa protein was detected by immunoprecipitation of cell lysates with polyclonal antibodies raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to a portion of the predicted protein sequence. These data partially reveal the function of the abundant small RNA transcripts produced by parvovirus B19.